


Shortcut to You

by Katakatica



Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Angst and Hurt/Comfort, F/F, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Protectiveness, Randomness, Reader Is Not Frisk, Reader-Insert, Romance, Violence, smut i guess, troubled character
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-01-08
Updated: 2016-03-02
Packaged: 2018-05-12 14:31:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 9
Words: 9,994
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5669428
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Katakatica/pseuds/Katakatica
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>You've always been a clumsy person, but when your own klutziness nearly causes you to die, you meet a very charmint skeleton with a past. Even though you are sure that you have never seen him before... You feel like as if you are not as alien to each other as it seems. <br/>But why?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. You

December had always been your least favorite month of the year. After all, the very first weeks brought chilly snow, slippery roads and an overly cheerful atmosphere that you just could not stand. It was not that you hated Christmas, it was just that you found no sense in celebrating it - well, mostly - all month long. Of course, what you detested mostly in the cool season was definitely the weather. You could not go out without a thick coat made of something heavy that weighed you down by ease and pants that made you look as if you were at least three sizes bigger. You just hated how odd, how _not so pleasing to the eye_ you looked whenever you had to leave your house - which was pretty much every single day given that you had a job.

You worked at a tiny restaurant as a waitress. It was an easy job, one that you could handle even with taking online classes to one of the more prestiqous online colleges of your country. You could not afford to move there and take the _real_ classes, but you could do everything online quite well. However, for that, you had to study quite hard, of which you had never been a big fan of. You just could not stand all the reading - about stuff that you did not care fully about - and writing. It was just...boring.

A year or two back,things had been spiced up just a little: monsters have been freed from the underground. You had been surprised to see just what - or well, who - had been there, under everything you have ever known. Most people took to them kindly, almost guilty for what their ancestors have done so many years ago. However, unfortunately some were nowhere near as kind. Many had viewed the newcomers as threat. After all, one day they just appeared on the other side of the barrier humans had long forgotten and refused to go back what they had once called _home_. You, for one, did not really care about what was going on. A few more _people_ merely more some more traffic at the rush hour - given that the monsters were even willing to learn how to drive, that is - and bigger crowds at some already packed places.

If anything, you were glad that monsters had found their way up to the surface. After all, you got job thanks to that: suddenly the little restaurant just half an hour from your house had more customers than they had ever had, which led to the elderly boss hiring you and a few others. For some reason, monsters seemed to like the food there. You were thankful to them, really.

You also got quite generous tips from the most of them, which delighted you quite a bit. After all, you did not get much money per hour: you sort of had to rely on the tips you got for your service. You did not mind much because most of the time it was more than enough.

A soft sigh escaped your lips as you rubbed at your sore head. You may have been very _customer-friendly_ , but you were also quite clumsy: you had managed to slip and fall on a patch of wet floor, banging the back of your head quite hard. You were already used to such damage though so it did not faze you at the slightest. After all, it was very easy to ignore a pain you were already used to.

Only half an hour and you would be off from your tortourusly long shift. You were glad about it given that you had been there for more than ten hours by then. Time did like to fly when you were in good company - many of the customers - but your feet always got sore by the end of the day. Your boss shot you a worried look as she glanced at you: she had most possible seen your fall.

"Are you okay, honey?" she asked, voice filled with the usual motherly concern that she seemed to radiate. You nodded quickly, a pout forming on your full lips.

"Yeah," you murmured quietly."I.. I'm sorry for the mess I keep causing. I swear it's not on purpose." This sent her into a chuckling fit, brown eyes gleaming with humor as she nodded.

"I know, honey, I know. Now, just go and pack up, I think me and the others can handle the last few people and cleaning up. Don't rush on your way home though.."

"Thanks!" you gave her a quick hug of apreciation before hurrying off to the tiny changing room. It was stuffy and very hot in there, so different from what the weather outside was going to be. You groaned just at the thought of it, a shiver running down your spine. You really, really, _really_ hated the winter.

It took you less than five minutes to change and another five to say your goodbyes to the rest of the staff. You tried to take a bit longer, almost as if going out later would cause the chilly winds to stop or the snow to just melt. You knew , however, given that you possessed the gift that was called _common sense_ , that it would not work like that, so you bundled up in your thick scarf and started your journey home.

The night was calm, empty. Only the sound of your heavy boots clashing with the fresh snow broke the silence. You were whining to yourself like a child as you stopped for a moment, wondering if you should take the _shortcut_ to your home. It was quicker, that was for sure, but dangerous: you had to cross the rails of the local train if you wanted to take it. In summer it was easy: you could balance on the metal by ease. However, in winter, it was... slippery and thus, quite scary. You had always been petrified of being hit by a train, ever since an old classmate of yours had met such a fate when crossing in a drunker bliss.

You shivered at the thought but nodded to yourself, determination firing up in your soul. Crossing was a mere minute. You could do it.

You had done it so many times before.

One foot always put in front of the other in an overly careful manner, you balanced your way through the first rail, the the second and third. A sigh of relief escaped your dry lips as you nodded to yourself: only one was left. You could do it.

But you could not: the heel of your boot got stuck between a small gap and you crashed on the ground similarly to what had happened just a few hours back. You hit your knee pretty hard: the pain took you attention away from your surroundings for a few moments. Realizing where you were, you tried to push yourself up. Panic errupted in your chest as the familiar whistle of the night train seeped into your ears. It was coming and you were still there. You were going to die...

Suddenly, even though you were sure that the train was still somewhat far from you, you felt an odd feeling: as if you were being torn into tiny pieces. A shriek escaped your parched throat, as if it could help. The sensation lasted for long moments... Was this how death felt like?

However, suddenly, you felt as if you were being placed on somewhere...the ground? You looked around with a whine, only to realize that you could not see anything. Another minute passed until you realized that it was because you have been squeezing your eyes shut for a while. You let them flutter open slowly, only to be met the strangest monster you have seen so far: a skeleton clad in a blue hoodie and some dark pants, grinning down at you.

"Did you want to have a bad time?" he asked and you just shook your head, staring in awe.

"A.am I dead or..?"


	2. Him

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which you pass out, and then pass out some more.

The skeleton stared at you for a long minute before errupting in laughter. It was a deep, rumbling sound, oddly pleasant on the ear. You just gulped, turning your gaze away. For once, you were quite thankful that you were wearing a thick scarf: it hid most of your madly blushing face effortlessly. And yet, you felt almost as if he could see right through it.

"Nah, hon, but you were quite close to it," the skeleton spoke, his low voice matching his laughter quite perfectly." _Tibia_ honest, I thought that you were not going to make it."

Blinking, you finally managed to push yourself off the ground, only to wince. You weren't sure whether that was because of the lame _pun(?)_ he had just inserted into your still quite serious conversation or the pain that shoot up your leg. Maybe it had been caused by both, really. You could put some of your weight on your right foot but your knee ached like never before, almost as if it had been torn off and stitched back messily. Even at the thought, you flinched inwardly.

"I was quite sure I would die, too," you choked out finally, biting down on your lower lip."I actually fell and just couldn't get up on time." You were starting to shiver: had it always been so cold? Even though you were clad in your thickest and fluffiest clothes, you felt as if you had been soaking in cold water for hours.

"Just your luck that I was on my way home, too," the skeleton sniggered a bit as he reached out towards you, his eyes still boring into yours. It was nighttime already, but the lampposts provided enough light that you could see each of his features quite clearly. You took his head, only to make a surprised squeak - like a frightened mouse would - when it gave off a loud, very familiar soumd...

"The good ol' whoopie cushion on the hand, trick. Always works," without even you noticing it, your lips had curled upwards slightly. You were still trembling, panic still coursing through your veins, but he had managed to make you forget about it all for a moment. And well, he had saved you, too. You had no idea how, however.

"So funny," you mustered the grumpiest voice you possessed at the moment at shook your head a bit, a sigh escaping your lips."You save me as if I'm a princess then treat me like a peasant." You took  a careful step backwards, only to have your knees buckle under you in a very embarassing manner. Within a moment you were on the ground again, tears of pain sliding down your freezing skin.

"I'm surprised you can even stand, buddy," the skeleton spoke, and while he still had a large grin plastered on his face, you could here the worry in his voice clearly."I'll help you get home, okay?" he asked and you just nodded numbly, the pain making it hard for you to think about the dangers of letting a stranger know where you lived. And well, he _had_ saved your life. Had he not been there at the right moment, you probably would have been a mere pile of meat, blood and _bones_ by then. You swallowed hard at the thought.

He picked you up effortlessly. It was weird: only then did you notice just how short he really was. You could not help but wonder just how he was so strong. Then again, he was a monster, driven by magic alone. He was no puny human like you were.

"So, where to?" he asked lowly, tightening his grip on you a little as you felt your eyes drop. Suddenly, you felt so, so exhausted and the pain in your leg did not help at all. You mumbled your address quietly before allowing yourself to slip away from realitiy for a moment, deep down hoping that you would wake in your bed, warm and cosy, without any of your limbs hurting so badly.

You did wake in a bed, but it wasn't yours. It smelled of something you had never smelled before: it was divine, however. You inhaled deeply and let out a soft huff of contentment. You wanted to stay in this bed for a long, long time.

"Wow, you are even lazier than I am," the deep voice tore you out of your pleasant thoughts. Eyes flying open, you met the gaze of the skeleton that had saved you. You looked away, cheeks burning: suddenly you felt very, very bashful.

"I.. I like to sleep," you mumbled, biting down on your lower lip."But how come I'm here? What happened?"

"So you don't remember?"' he let out a strained chuckle as he plopped down on the bed next to you: the heavenly got just a bit stronger. You wondered how you had not noticed it before: it was definitely coming from _him._ "I took you home but the doors were all locked up, no spare keys to be found. You were out _cold_ so I decided to bring you here. You've been sleeping for more than a day now, by the way."

Your jaw fell, eyes wide as they could be. How? In reality, you were _not_ someone who could sleep a lot. If anything, you were happy if you got six hours of sleep nightly. And yet, you had been out for more than twenty-four hours.

"You had a pretty bad fever when we arrived so that may have been why you slept so long. It's a wonder how it went down so quickly. I expected you to get pretty sick..."

Only then did you notice the soreness of your throat. It was not as bad as it could have been, but it felt really dry and stung each time you breathed. You had no idea how you had ignored it for as long as you had been awake: it was quite intense, somewhat annoying.

You didn't say anything for a while, just stared at the skeleton. You wanted to at least know his name..or why he had helped you. Or why he had not hurt you? Many human men would have taken advantage of you... And yet, he had not. As far as you knew, anyway. Your head still felt a little fuzzy so you decided to close your eyes for a moment...or two.

Oddly enough, despite of it being impossible given that he had not told it to him yet, you could hear the skeleton call out your name repeatedly as you slipped into darkness once again.

Just what was going on?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi guys :) decided to do a little double update, I had way too much fun typing this down haha. I'm glad it's done though, it's getting a bit late here. I hope that you all will have a pleasant weekend and..yea..whatever.  
> *awkward turtle author crawls away*


	3. Names

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which you realize that skeletons are somewhat...odd (and that a particular skeleton absolutely adores stupid puns).

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was supposed to be up last night, but let's just say that the wifi-faerie stole our connection (may be the weather, we live up a hill which is cool when it comes to being a nice area, but not when it comes to internet :D so I didn't even bother writing it until this morning...when we still didn't have any internet. Anyway it came back about a minute ago, so...here's chapter three :)

The next time you woke, the very same skeleton was snoring soundly on a chair next to the bed you were lying on. Blueish drool escaped his teeth in a somewhat charming manner. You did not care about such things at the moment however: your head hurt more than ever and you were almost sure that you had gained at least a hundred pounds overnight: you felt as if your arms and legs had been cast in lead. You just could not move, you just lay there, head propped up just enough so that you could see the skeleton. Your saviour? Still a stranger.

Something in the back of your mind told you that there was something wrong with you. Your brain was working really slowly, in such a sluggish manner that you wondered if your _saviour_ had used you to experiment on and swapped your brain with something - or someone - else's. You let out a rasped chuckle at the thought, throat burning as if you had been drinking fire all night.

"Oh, you called me?" a cheeky grin was present on the skeleton's face, his teeth shining brightly and little white dots present in his eyesockets that were otherwise as black as the night. For some reason, you felt as if you had seen this very expression before... Or maybe, even this moment. It was not unlike you to be hit with a strong sense of deja vu. If anything, ever since you had been younger, you've had several moments when you even know what was going to happen next. At one time, you had been writing a very hard Math quiz back in high school. You were just not the best with numbers, so you gave up. But suddenly, just as you were about to hand in a blank sheet - save for the questions that seemed too complicated for you - the picture of the very same sheet clad in red writing flashed before your eyes. The answers to each question were there, bright and quite readable.

You ended up working on the paper until the last minute of class: the next week you went home with the brightest grin of your face. You had aced the test.

Lost in silly memories, you barely noticed how the skeleton was talking to you. He was not moving an inch, but you could hear his deep, rumbling voice. It was pleasant in a way and soothing, too. You had a feeling that you would be able to fall asleep to the sound of it quite easily.

"Hey, I'm still talking to you," you finally snapped out of your thoughts: was the skeleton whining? You weren't sure as you had managed to miss most of what had said even then, but still... The sound he had just let out was almost childish. Amusing, really.

"I..I am. Now." you choked out. You hoped that you would not have to talk for a while after this: with each word that escaped you, your lungs seemed to be aching as well. You were slowly realizing more and more sources of intense - and sometimes quite annoying - pain in your whole body. Your back ached, your knee felt as if it had been torn off though you were sure that it had not been, your lungs refused to allow air to seep in without a painful ache... Everything hurt, and you hated it.

"Hi Now, I'm Sans," you groaned a little at the stupid stunt he had just pulled, even though your lips curled up just a little. It was annoying, and silly but somewhat funny, too. Luckily, not enough to make you laugh: it probably would have hurt even more."Tossing the puns to the side for now, you've been here in our guest room for three days now. I'm not sure if you remember, but you have nearly been hit by a train."

You nodded just a tiny bit, looking away as a blush bloomed on your pale as paper cheeks. You could recall most of what had happened on your way to your house. You wondered why you had not gotten a sense of deja vu at the rails: would have it been so hard for it to happen? It would have saved you a good doze of embarrassment, and a lot of pain. You weren't sure which one you detested most at the moment."I'm..clumsy." It took you about a minute to actually utter those very simple words, your lungs still burning, throat still feeling as if it had been ripped out. The skeleton sighed: suddenly he did not seem as joyous and cheeky as just a minute before.

"Thanks to me, you were saved from that fate, but you managed to bang your knee hard. And you also got a bad cold." he seemed almost guilty? which was something you had not expected him to look like. After all, he had just saved your life. He was supposed to be coy, maybe, or at least brag a little. You were quite sure that you would have been like that had you saved a silly, clumsy stranger.

"A lot of people go out there to..disappear, you know," his voice was darker, deeper, somewhat scary now. Suddenly, you felt a pang of fear in your heart. You were alone in a room with a complete stranger... Someone that looked like he could rip you into tiny shreds if he wanted. Why you knew? You were not sure... but he looked powerful. The air seemed to be buzzing with magic."But you are not one of them, are you?" and after that, he whispered your name. It came out soft and sweet, almost as if it was something very precious to his soul. You narrowed your eyes: how did he even know what you were called? You had not met before, of that you were quite sure. You had heard of some skeletons living in your neighbourhood -your landlady had to escort them back home a month or two before when they had gotten lost in the area, having moved there only recently, but you had not met them yet.

Seeing the confusion in your eyes, the skeleton let out a laugh. It was loud, clear, and... inviting? You wanted to giggle along despite all the pain that coursed through your very being. Given that you were not sure if that was the right thing to do, you muffled your giggles and turned your head away.

"I found your bag, too, you know. ID card, phone, too. Called your boss, told her your sick. She was worried about you, you know." You just nodded a tiny bit again, refusing to look him in the eye. Now that he had said it, everything made sense. Sure, he could have maybe called an ambulance for you, but in such a small town with a tiny hospital, you weren't sure if there had been any vacancies for a simple cold and some bruises."I thought of taking you home once I finally found your keys, but you were still out- _cold_ , so I decided to just take care of you."

For some reason, you were glad. Part of you was still worried, but you had mostly been reassured. Something told you that this very skeleton was a really, really bad liar.

"Thanks," you choked out finally. Suddenly, a glass of water was in front of you _floating._ The skeleton - Sans - was grinning at you, index finger raised. You could see blue shadows - magic, probably - envelope it and the glass. You reached for the water and drank it in one go, only to start coughing violently: it had gone down the wrong pipe.

The skeleton just stared closely, almost as if he was making sure that you were alright, that you did not need his help. You may have needed a small tap on the back, but you knew that for that, you would have to move... And that, you did not want. So you just coughed until you felt better, the raspy wheezes that came from your paled lips finally stopping.

"Well, humans are...wonderful creatures?" the skeleton seemed to be questioning even himself.

You just nodded lazily. You were not in the mood to talk for a while.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh god I am going to be rambling here guys, so sorry. I.. this is my first fic on this site (and the third altogether, lol) that seems to be getting tidbits of attention. Frankly, this is weird to me: I'm used to having at least 1-200 subs the least, comments and all that. The funny part is that I hadn't enjoyed writing so much in years. I've been in the fanfic-business since I was like..what, 14? which gives at least six years. Needless to say I've been through a LOT. I started writing in English around 3 years back (used to stick to Hungarian :)) and I just..ended up popular. Before I knew it I wrote because I had to, as stupid as that seems. Whenever I update I feel this...sense of dread I guess? What will the readers think? Is the plot really too complicated (when I write oneshots I leave the ends open, I leave hints but only a few people get them) and...yea, it's just becoming stressful. And here I am now, totally unknown to this society and glad as hell. I mean, sure, I do want to get known and all that jazz, but I don't feel forced to write. I just type down what I think is right. And it's cool. Anyway, hope this didn't make me look like a stupid sappy writer :) I have to thank Underale for getting my writing spirit back, really :D


	4. Toma-tea

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which you finally go home and realize just how gross the taste of some skeletons can be.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> shortest chapter as if yet, sorry guys :D Needed to get this filler out tho OTL

Even as you limped home, your pace slow and mind still somewhat sluggish, you could not help but think of Sans the skeleton. You had not interacted much with him after he had introduced himself to you given that you were sick and needed more rest, but part of you felt as if you knew him well already. Even now, he was walking a few steps behind you, a coy grin on his face. You had insisted on being a good girl, one that could find the way home even with a bad injury and the snow, but he just shook his head and told you that he refused to let you go back alone. You had spent a full day at his home after waking up for the second time, recovering from the last of your illness. Your lungs still burnt and your throat still ached, but you tried to pretend that you were alright. It was hard, especially because of how you kept stumbling. Your knee refused to bend the way it was supposed to. Just how had you fallen on it like that?

Sans, as if not noticing your struggles, paced behind you silently, like a shadow. He said nothing, did nothing, just walked. Like some kind of a body-guard in a way. You weren't sure why he was doing all this for you. He was just a stranger...

You reached your apartment quite quickly. Sans still behind you, you fiddled to unlock the door and nearly fell inside, incredibly exhausted. A rough cough ripped from your lungs again and you heard the skeleton sigh behind you. You mirrored the sound he had let out, looking back to gaze into his eyes. You could see worry on his face. It was quite nice to see someone so concerned about you after so much time, but you were quite sure that it had been merely out of sheer politeness. After all, no one would leave someone die in front of them. It was cruel, to see them suffer when all you had to do was reach out and help.

"I.." you started, voice broken as you collapsed on your couch. It was a little worn, the sweet beige color already faded into an off-white, similar to the four walls around the two of you. Sans took a seat next to you, his boney hand resting on the armrest. He looked comfortable, as if he had been there before."Would you like some tea?" you asked quietly. You knew that out of sheer niceness, you had to offer him something. He had saved your life and took care of you for days. Yes, his puns were weird and sometimes he looked a bit too sure of himself, but you still owed him. Plus, you had to admit to yourself with your cheeks lightning up with a blush, he wasn't _that_ bad. You were not a people person, the only place you could put up with any of them was at work. And yet, you did not feel crawling under your sheets to escape from him _that_ badly.

"Sure, you have tomato flavored?" he let out a chuckle at your started expression. Who would even think of owning such an abomination? You hated anything related to tomatoes, to be honest. You just could not understand why people ate it in the first place. Not even a bottle of ketchup or any other type of tomato sauce could be in your sight without you gagging. It was just... not your cup of _tea._ "Anything's fine, though." he added once you shook your head.

"Good." You mumbled, dragging yourself to your small kitchen. He followed you, like an obedient puppy on the watch out for their master. As if anything could harm you in your own home. You shrugged a bit, somewhat thankful. You were still sore everywhere, and it was hard to tell if you would be capable of the simple task of making some tea without falling over.

However, you did not expect Sans to light push you to the tall chair that you set by the counter. You liked sitting there and reading because the lightning was really bad in your living room. Tilting your head to the side, you sat down."I can do it, you do know that right?"

"Sure." Sans did not seem to be so sure of what he said by the way he stared at you."Plus only I know how to make a tea that I actually like. You'd probably put too much sugar in it.."

You raised an eyebrow, quite unsure of what he had meant. You drunk your tea and coffee extra sweet, yes, but you were sure that he did not know that. After all, you dealed with whatever you got at his place...

"You're already sweet enough." The short skeleton _winked_ at you, causing you to let out a groan. Did he just say that?" You sighed, leaning your head on the counter. Again, your eyelids felt heavy. But you couldn't just sleep when you had a guest. Somehow, you were starting to get used to Sans being there with you, even if you barely knew him. He was just a stranger and yet...

You fell asleep to the soft whistling of a kettle and something warm but solid patting your head.

You hadn't slept so well in ages.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> But how did Sans know where the kettle was? :P


	5. Pillows come in handy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which you realize that Sans has superpowers...or something like that.

You woke to the scent of your favorite strawberry tea. Your nose twitched at first as if you were some kind of an animal, then your lips curled into a blissful grin. You lay curled up on your couch, hands tucked carefully under your head. A soft, fluffy blanket – your favorite – covered your entire, small form. You had no idea how you had ended up like that: the last thing you could recall was passing out at the counter with. As you pushed yourself up, mind still a little foggy, you spotted Sans stepping into the living room, his grin seemingly softer: just a bit more genuine. You felt an odd sense of peace swirl into your very soul.

Part of you, after all, knew well that you were supposed to be mad at him. Or at least a little freaked out. Not because he was a skeleton - you had nothing against monsters, really, they were as normal as any other creatures that lived on the planet of Earth – but because he was a male, in your apartment, looking almost as if he knew the place like the back of his hand. Or well, something like that. Oddly enough, the majority of your mind just refused to get mad or scared. All you could do was stare at the cups of sweet-smelling tea on the tray he held.

“That's my favorite,” you mumbled out finally, biting down on your lower lip.

“I had a hunch,” he snickered to himself, as if he was amused by something only he was aware of. It was weirdly enchanting. Somehow, you just wanted to wipe that smirk off his face..or kiss it away.

As quick as the sudden thought of getting personal with him came, arrived the embarrassement. Your cheeks flushed the most violent shade of crimson and you let out little noises that resembled a seal.

Sans just stared, the little white lights of his eyes glowing wildly. His cheekbones were lit up by a faint blue light: was that a blush? You sure hoped so. But why? He had not done anything stupid – or so you were sure of. However, you could never know what he was thinking of...

He sat done next to you soon and handed you one of the steaming hot cups. You grinned as you took it, suddenly even happier than before.

“Is it a monster magic thing to make people feel calm around you?” you blurted out as you started sipping your tea. It was just the way you like it, sweet and slightly lemony.

“Eh, suppose so,” the skeleton scratched at his head, clearly a little uncomfortable with your question. He looked clueless about what to say. As if he had not expected you to ask something like that.

“Oh, I see.” You said with a small smile.”I was scared for a moment that something is wrong with me. Maybe I can't feel fear or something. I did bang my head quite roughly.” You were rambling for some reason, words slipping off your tongue naturally. You just knew what to say.

Sans nodded a bit, concern flashing in his eyes.”That may be the case,” he said, seeming more serious than before.”Anyway, I will take this as a compliment. You not being scared of me, I mean.”

You just nodded a bit again. It was odd: before you had gone to sleep you could recall feeling somewhat uncomfortable around him. It was natural. But now, you felt as if he could hug you and would merely lean closer to him. Maybe he _had_ charmed you somehow. Maybe that's why he looked so flustered. You couldn't really care about it to be honest, you felt too nice around him.

The two of you fell into a comfortable silence until he suddenly stood up, grin reappearing.”I just forgot I have work today. I need to go.” he said with a sigh.

“I.. okay.” you mumbled, oddly upset about his sudden need to leave. And yet, you made no move to voice it as he rushed outside without saying anything, without even saying goodbye. Just what had happened?

That night, you went to sleep with your heart racing. The fact that you fell asleep with a stranger in your home made you felt uneasy all of a sudden. What if Sans wasn't as nice as he seemed? What if he would come back to you and... hurt you?

Suddenly, you were shaken out of your thoughts by the sound of your phone. You reached for it, not even checking the caller.

“Hey,” after the short word, your name was uttered lowly. You recognized the voice instantly: it was the skeleton who had been on your mind for who knows how long. Once more, a sweet sense of contentment washed over your entire body. You smiled in a silly manner, leaning back with a soft sigh.

“How do you know my number?” you asked softly, not recalling if you had given it to him before. Then again, your memory was not as good as it could be. You _had_ hit your head, too...

“I checked it when you were out cold,” Sans sniggered into the phone. You could almost see him grinning at you. Cheeks blushing, you nodded a bit to yourself.

“Great.”You whispered to yourself. It made sense, really.

“Now, I just rang you to tell you that my brother would love to meet you. He always wanted to visit you when you were asleep, but I tried to keep him away from you. He is really cool, but can be a bit too... much at first meeting.”

Another skeleton? Your brain, working in strange ways, already made up a picture of someone who looked just the opposite of Sans: tall, lean, energetic. The color orange seemed to suit the picture well. How..weird.

“I..guess, that's the least I can do for.. you helping me and all. I would be dead if you weren't there...”

“Yeah. I know.” Sans's voice dropped low suddenly. You shivered at his change of tone. Why did he sound like that?”So... would you like to get some coffee with us tomorrow? Or maybe something else? Papyrus is the biggest fan of pasta around...”

You didn't know why but you put the phone on hold for a moment.

And you squealed into your pillow.

 

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I was supposed to update like ages ago but to be honest I'm really sleepy (had a rough day, really) but I'm kinda happy of what I did so far. Idk if anyone did Nanowrimo this year, but the group who had writeins decided to meet again and it's amazing to write in company. So..cool to be honest :D Plus the coffee is good here :P


	6. Puffy skirts and blouses

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which you prepare for your 'date' with the skeletons.

The next day could not arrive quick enough. You had no idea why, but you felt so giddy, as if you were preparing for a first date and not a friendly meeting. Heart pounding, you could barely sleep. Whenever you closed your eyes, your mind was bold enough to produce an image of Sans. Sometimes, he was grinning, which you had seen before. But at others, he was different. He had tears in his eyes once - that time you opened your eyes and shook your head, heaving as if you had had a nightmare, you did not want to see him like that, ever - and once, his cheeks were flushed. He looked incredibly cute like that.

Somehow, you managed to fall asleep well after midnight, your exhaustion willing your over-active imagination to cease bugging you for a while. You woke to the sound of your phone, loud and clear.

"Great." you mumbled to yourself sleepily, nearly rolling off your bed as you reached for the gadget that lay on your nightstand as always."Who's it?" words still slurred, you rubbed at your eyes. Your knee was still very sore and your head was aching. You just wanted to sleep a little more, then start getting worried about what you would wear in the afternoon.

"It's already four, kid. Aren't you forgetting something?" Sans seemed smug: you were quite sure he was having fun bugging you like this.

"Crap, I..." you mumbled, cheeks flushing. Had you really slept in so badly? You were supposed to meet up with the two brothers at two for a late lunch at the restaurant you worked at. You had already called your boss (you had to talk to her anyway) and asked her to reserve a table for you and your...friends? had people decided to swarm the restaurant for some reason. She had chuckled at your request: she, too, had seemed smug.

"Don't worry, pal, it's only one in the afternoon. I just thought I'd give you a ring in case you slept in. Wouldn't want to make poor Papyrus wait, would we?"

You let out a little sound that resembled a growl - not quite fierce but still something - turning to your pillow for a moment. Screaming into it again seemed like an amazing activity.

"Just get ready, but take a cab or the bus. Don't walk with that leg of yours." he suddenly seemed concerned about you, his smugness not shining through his voice as much as it had before. You absentmindedly nodded, still too tired to actually get out of bed. You wanted, badly, but you felt so lazy.

"You just nodded, didn't you?" his laughter shook you out of your daze. Again, you nodded, before breaking into a fit of odd giggles. You were blushing again. Great."You know what? Get ready,  I know a shortcut to the restaurant. I'll pick you up and we can go there together, okay? Papyrus says he can get there alone.

It was one fifty by the time you were ready. You chose simple clothes: a puffy skirt and a pretty blouse you loved. As you stared at your reflection, for a moment, you swore you could see something red on the pale material of the blouse. Almost like..blood. Trying not to panic, you assumed it was just your lipstick. After all, you caked quite a decent amount of make-up on your face. Who were you trying to impress anyway? You shook your head and scampered to change your clothes. However, as you raised the blouse to check on the stain, you realized that it wasn't there.

"It must be the light.." you murmured to yourself softly, pulling it back on with a sigh. You hated it when your eyes played tricks on you. It was annoying and in some cases, a little creepy.

"Hey!" a low voice broke your silence as a cold bony hand ruffled your hair. It was Sans, grinning at you."I thought I'd let myself in, you seemed to be taking awfully long.

You thanked god that you were not undressed anymore. It would have been even more embarrassing.

"I..I'm running a bit late with clothes and stuff. Trying to look good and all, you know.."

"Oh, I didn't know you wanted to impress me so much. Don't worry, hon, you look good in anything." While he was still snickering, the skeleton's compliment seemed genuine. Like he meant it. Of course, your cheeks decided to flush vividly again, causing you to look away nervously. How you hated your body's silly reaction to him. He was just a stranger who seemed awfully familiar at times..."Now, let's go. Food can't wait."

He grabbed your hand suddenly, and then the world started spinning. For a moment, everything went black. And then, you were standing just in front of the restaurant with Sans holding you tight. How did you end up there? And why was he hugging you so strong?

"Okay, this was creepy.." you mumbled."And Sans, we left the door unlocked!" you added suddenly, panic filling your mind."What if someone breaks in, what if they steal my stuff?"

"Don't worry kid, I made sure it was locked when I arrived." Sans just chuckled, his grip still tight on you. For some reason, you felt comfortable in his embrace. You felt almost as if you belonged there."Anyway, let's find my brother. I have a feeling that the two of you will click quite well."

And you did. Papyrus was simply adorable. A little too loud at times, yes, but you just could not be angry at him for that. He was also quite the pasta enthusiast, just as Sans had mentioned to you the night before.

"Human, I am so glad that you are awake now!" he said as you waited for your food.You had ordered something like and Sans had asked for the same while Papyrus went with spaghetti. You knew that those dishes were done quickly, so you were not worried about getting even hungrier than you were already.

"I am glad too, Papy..rus." you mumbled, looking down at your hands for a moment. You had almost called him Papy..just how could you, you barely knew him. Frustrated at your stupid mind, you puffed out your cheeks.

Sans just stared at you, grinning. He hadn't been so happy in ages...

After all,he had you back where he wanted. And this time, he would not let you get away.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> written as distraction for myself, decided to post it anyway :) hope it's okay :P (at this rate this story won't be long bt oh well. already have new ideas xD)


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which someone gives you a very special present.

A couple weeks went by and you fell into a very comfortable routine which involved work and meeting up with Sans or Papyrus (or many times, both). As odd as it sounded, you could not even imagine your life without them already, as if they had been part of it forever. Yes, it was a bit odd that Sans was always there if you needed help or just a hug (it was almost as if he could smell your emotions, which was definitely not normal by human standars, you weren't sure if it was considered okay by monster ones), but it wasn't like he was ever pushy or anything like that. He acted like a perfect gentleman whenever he was around you.

At times, you wondered if it was the real him or he was just fooling you with putting on the mask of the perfect person, the one that could snatch your heart away and lock it away, offering theirs in return. After all, you were just a girl and a human one at that. Monster ladies - in your eyes - were exceptionally pretty. Most of them held a regal air that you could not have radiated even if you tried. Sure, you were not ugly, but compared to them,you felt average.

As the dark cloud of doubt swirled in your chest, you heard the soft buzz of your phone. Without even checking it, you knew who was calling. Sans.

"Hey," you said, biting down on your lower lip. As always, his timing had been eerily perfect."What's up?"

"The ceiling, hon." he sniggered at his silly pun and you did, too, for a moment forgetting all your issues. Sans had this effect on you. He was like your very own _happy drug._ Making your head swirl and your heart beat feverishly, causing you to smile with each little word that escaped him. It was crazy and scary but when he was there with you, or at least you could hear his voice, you did not care. Shaking your head a bit, you took a deep breath. Sans was just a friend of yours. Your euphoric state when around him was probably ignited by the sheer fact that you were not the one to have a thousand and three friends. Sometimes you hang out with people or even went on dates but... it was nothing. Your life had always been exceptionally boring compared to other people's. Now, however, you have found your personal source of adrenaline. However, you were not willing to get close to him just because of that, just because you felt good around him. That would have been selfish.

And yet...

"Hey, hon, can I tell you a secret?" his voice suddenly grew low and you could literally see the lights of his eyesockets dulling until they disappeared. You gulped a bit but mumbled a soft 'yeah', part of you quite curious."I know that your incident with the train had nearly left you..wrecked." it was true, albeit you struggled hard not to showit. Your knee hurt still and you often caught yourself feeling like you were falling again. Down the stairs, over your own feet. It was terrifying, but it only happened when you were alone. It had not started untl you had gone back to work but then, something had seemed to snap in you. You were once more tugged out of your thoughts by the skeleton's voice."I decided to get you a little present. 's already there so open the door."

You did not have the chance to say anything as he hang up. Reluctantly, you rolled off your bed and did as he had told you, part of you expecting to find him sitting there, wrapped in a dark red ribbon. The thought caused your cheeks to flush a few shades darker. But then, you finally spotted your gift: it was a box.

And it was barking.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whew,short update :) I just needed to write this silly filler. 'you' are pretty down these days T.T (don't worry it's temporary lol. I refuse to make this angstier than it already will be :D I am sorry for the not so perfect fic guys, I had a really rough day with 3 hours of sleep last night and two exams. Wasn't easy T.T  
> Thank you for reading and all <3


	8. Back to square one

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which you make a mistake, and Sans isn't there to help you

A yelp escaped you as you scampered to open the large box, eyes wide. In it sat a small labrador, its coat the deepest shade of brown. Like chocolate. It could not have been older than a couple months. Grinning, you gently lifted the puppy and allowed it to sniff at your chest gleefully, tiny tail wagging already.

"Hey little one~" you cooed with a chuckle, scratching one floppy ear. A happy bark was your answer, then a little tongue licking at your face. You grimaced just a bit but giggled. You felt like you already had a knew friend in your...gift? You had no idea how Sans had known that you lacked company when you were alone at home. Then again, it probably was just some form of monster magic. It wasn't like it mattered, anyway. Monsters - well, Sans especially,  - just.. knew stuff. It was something you were quite content with, albeit it did creep you out occasionally. Then again, a lot of things did. For example, trains. Ever since you had your _near-death-experience-of-a-fall_ as Papyrus had dubbed it when you explained just how exactly you had ended up on the rails, you shuddered whenever you as much as passed the nearby stations. It filled you with dread to know that you could have died...had Sans not been there.

Your new _friend_ gave a loud bark and you beamed, patting at its head as you marched inside, only to gasp in awe: in the middle of your living room sat a brand new dog-bed and a bunch of supplies. Sans was resting on the couch, legs on the armrest and usual grin in place.

"If you hadn't given me the best present ever, I would ask you to leave," you mumbled, cheeks flushing. You knew that you were supposed to be a little angry (after all, he had popped up in your home without saying anything and well, that could be considered scary in many levels - but for some reason your soul did not even bother to feel such negative emotions. Not when he was there, at least. Lulled by his presence, you plopped down on the floor once you let the small dog run around the room - it was clear that it was very eager to inspect anything and everything that lay around - and made sure to lock your door as always, feeling a little paranoid for some reason. You sighed contently, a small smile sitting on your lips.

"I think I gonna name him Chocolate," you mumbled softly, chuckling when the puppy stumbled to you just a minute later, eagerly sniffing at your hand."He's so..sweet."

"I had a feeling you'd choose that name," Sans's voice was barely lower than a murmur as he looked at you."Took me forever to get him, went to the pound. I thought of helping an older dog and all, but this little one looked at me pleadingly. However, someone else wanted him too.." he rarely spoke this much at once but you listened on eagerly, marvelled at his adventure of getting your new dog. After all, he was sort of lazy. It was quite hard to believe he would do so much for you. Then again, he was weird.

"You know a lot about me," you mumbled as you absentmindedly grabbed Chocolate and put him on your lap, chuckling when he yapped happily."I love dogs." you added.

"And cats, too. You're allergic. Saw your pills when I found you." You rose an eyebrow at that. Did he have to look through your entire bag? Suddenly, your cheeks flushed a vivid shade of red. Ever since an old classmate of yours got pregnant from a one-night-stand, you carried a bunch of condoms in one of the small pockets. You never used it, but...

You felt like being safe was still better.

"I did wonder why you had so many little things tho" Sans was snickering. He knew what you were thinking about."Anyway, it's thoughtful of you to...prepare."

You rolled your eyes and hid your face in your puppy's fur. God, this was embarrassing." Sans sniggered some more before sitting up and patting your head like you had petted Chocolate before.

"Don't worry kid, I've seen worse stuff."

For some reason, you knew he was saying the truth.

Sans and you talked a bit more, falling into peace with each other. You could not help but smile whenever he mentioned something you liked: a show, a book. Anything. As if he knew everything about you. You were happy: you felt like you knew him, too.

You knew what channel to turn to TV to once you got bored: his eyes lit up when the dumb science fiction movie you loathed so much came on. You had only seen it once and yet, part of you felt like it had been a hundred times that you had been forced to sit through it. However, the skeleton seemed absolutely thrilled which was rare for him, so... You watched it with a fake smile.

At the end, he grinned at you, little lights of his eyes nearly heart-shaped."Thanks for watching this with me, hon." he purred deeply..

And then, he disappeared.

You switched the channel quickly and went to get some food for Chocolate who was blinking at you pleadingly.

This dog was going to be so spoilt, you already knew.

The next few days passed in bliss. You worked - with a limp and shaky posture, knee killing you whenever you were up on it for more than two hours, which was pretty much all the time - and walked with your dog. You started calling him Choco for short. He was well-trained but very loud at times, and the perfect alarm clock. Often, you woke to him trying to rip open his bag of dry food. He didn't even like the stuff.

Papyrus came over a couple times, claiming that Sans was out of time, but he was there to help with the new furry friend of yours. You were glad: their energy levels matched. And well, Papyrus was made of bones. Choco seemed to adore that little aspect of his. And well, you were happy to spend time with your friend, too. Yes, you barely knew him but... He was too happy for you to even try and dislike him. Sunny personalities like his needed to be treasured.

It was exactly two weeks after you had gotten Choco that you tried to take the _shorter_ path to your home again. It was snowing hard and you could barely move through the thick fluffy blankets, but something was drawing you to the place you had nearly died at. Almost as if you _had_ to go there.  Like it wasn't even you moving your body. It was petrifying but you could not do anything. You nearly felt like you were just an outsider, one who could do nothing. One who knew that many trains were coming and going at this time.

One who knew that you were doing a foolish thing.

So you did, confident that this time, you would not fall. Your steps were shaky and you were trembling from fear but you crossed each rail until you reached the last one.

You took a step..

and slipped.

The last thing you could see was Sans screaming at you.

Then nothing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi guys. Long overdue update but I'm glad it's done. Well, let's just say things are going to happen now~  
> anyway, thank you all for your support.  
> if you think my work is worth..something? please do not hesitate to like.. 'buy me a coffee' using this dumb little button. Thought of making a patreon (on aff I'm kinda bigname, here I'm no one so yea) but this is easier and better for me lol. In the US 2 dollars isn't a lot but here..well it's more than the hourly wage a lot of people get... ummm...  
> yea. Anyway, I won't pester you all with this a lot, just poster it here and maybe at my other fics but will leave it for a while. Wanted to give it a try lol (on aff it doesnt seem to work so yea, idk ao3 much yet. otl) I wouldn't try if I wasn't a uni student in need xD (technically I'm in what most people call college but we call it uni. gonna have my second major next year so... I have a ton of workload already xD I am studying Korean which is well..ROUGH.  
> to say the least  
> *cries*  
> and yea  
> anyway  
> sorry  
> thanks  
> whatever  
> (here is the link if anyone cares lol  
> http://ko-fi.co/2376KANY9YX3F
> 
> (button doesnt work apparently)


	9. Chapter 9

Winter had always been the one season you loathed more than anything in the whole wide world. It was cold, and slippery and just... cold. Festivities lit the dark skies from time to time, but their warmth lasted only for a short while. Christmas was over before one could say  _heya_. To make it all worse, you had to work longer hours since so many people took some time off, and well, they somehow always found the teeny tiny restaurant you worked at. It was far from being crowded but your expertise was still needed: you were the only staff who was fully comfortable with serving both monsters and humans. (Then again, it was only you and well.. Catty.) For some reason unknown to you, the girl who worked with you - a tall cat-a-like your age with purple fur and a wide, toothy grin - grew all kinds of flustered whenever she spotted some of your kin. Especially if it was not a female like you. Maybe something had happened to her before that made her wary? You never really had the courage to ask her, and well it wasn't like she wanted to talk about it. Most of the times the two of you were not busy, she rattled on and on about monster celebrities, and how some monster she knew was actually dating one. You liked listening to her voice weirdly enough, it was weirdly comforting. And well, as much as you liked to deny it, you liked company. You were just... not exactly the best at keeping it. Most people stirred away from you after a week or two. Like you did not belong.

Dark thoughts filled your mind but you shook your head to chase them away. You could not keep thinking such things! So maybe you were a longer but it wasn't like you were completely alone on the whole wide world without having anyone to trust. You had Catty. Right?

Time passed way too quickly when madness crept into your mind. You watched as the last customer left and went to flip the little sign on the door to _closed_. Thank god the day was over.. Well, mostly. You craved a hot bath and a bucketful of icecream the heal the ever-so deep cuts on your bruised soul.

.It was Catty's time to close at night - for the entire week, actually. but you took a seat near her as she made sure everything was in order. Usually, you  waited for her, sipping a tea or some soup. It was often what kept you warm enough for the long journey lying ahead of you. You lived exactly fourty-five minutes and fifteen seconds from your workplace, granted that you took the longer but safe route. During the summer, it was a nice little walk by areas that were often still swarming with youngsters, warm air hitting your skin. But once November struck, it all spiralled into something much, much worse. Each step you took was tortorous as you struggled not to fall in the deep snow and cold winds ruffled your scarves, your hair, biting at exposed skin mercilessly. You often took a shortcut home when it happened, knowing that while it was risky, it was still better than freezing to death.

You stuck to your routine as always, shuffling outside with Catty after your mug of hot chocolate. She hugged you a little and the little voice in your mind wondered if she was just pretending to be so nice. You shook your head and darted off. The last bus was long gone... You did not even have to check your watch to know it. Maybe if you didn't wait for Catty every night...

You walked as quickly as you could, deciding to take the shortcut you detested so much. Between your house and the restaurant lay a small train station. If you cross the rails just ten minutes after passing it, you were home quite quickly. It was risky as the area lacked lighting, but it was still quick and efficient.

Before you knew it, you reached the part you hated the most. Metallic rails glinted in the pale glow of the moon. Only the sound of your harsh breaths escaping parched lips broke the silence.

One step, two, then three. You crossed the first rail by ease, with fluid movements like the dancer you always wanted to be. The second, you nearly jumped above, reckles but thrilled in a way. As much as you hated to admit it, you loved the rush of adrenaline. It made you feel alive in the most freezing of weathers.

You reached the last rail and chuckled to yourself, lifting one leg before putting it down quickly. You thought of making a goofy twirl, just for the heck of it but... You slipped.

The next moment, many things happened at once. The sound of an approaching train seeped into your mind as you landed on your arm, wincing as you tried to push yourself up. Something grabbed the back of your  scarf and suddenly, everything went back, but you could still hear the train....

Did it hit you? Were you dying?

Your eyes flew open when you felt cold fingers trace your cheeks. Your scarf must have slipped off. Your plush lips fell into a gasp as you realized that you were staring at a skeleton, not a human - you have assumed that from the touch, really. Before you could have pondered more,  a deep sound tore you out of your thoughts.

"Are you fucking kidding me?" the skeleton snarled. Just the sight of the white pin-pricks of his eyes disappearing sent shivers of fear down your spine. Your knees ached, your back was pounding and you felt as if you had been ran over by a car. Or a truck. Or a train. Clearly, you had not been, as you were alive. Or.. were you, really? What if the skeleton was death itself? What if he had come to pick you up and toss you into hell for being such a bad person. It wasn't that you had been one, but like everyone else, you had committed many mistakes. Gulping, you willed your gaze from the monster's, shying away from the large, bony hands that came to cup your face."You have done this so many times already and yet, you keep surprising me." he uttered. The rage and sorrow mixing in his voice made you tremble: what have you done to cause him such intense emotions? You didn't even know who he was, really. "I'm Sans, sugar, your one and only. And I had enough of tiptoing around you as you die again and again."

Left eye blue, Sans stared at you with the darkest of looks yet, a sigh escaping him. You were confused and scared, but incapable of moving. Almost as if something was weighing you down. A little voice in your head wondered if it was guilt. But what woluld you have been guilty for? You had done nothing wrong, right? Sans was probably mistaking you for someone else. You had never seen him before.

And you were almost sure that he had not seen you before, either. Then again, who knew...

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> whew. this was hard to write. xD idk why  
> anyway, hope you enjoyed it. Im feeling reader's bitterness right now, my school decided to give barely half of the scholarship we got until now (and we NEED it) because..well they don't really have a good reason. I'm okay with this amoutn, but a lot of people who live further from school aren'r... shit's gonna break out in Hungary,trust me. LOL  
> rant aside, hope this was okay xD byee

**Author's Note:**

> Uh, hi? I've been trying this page out for a while but this fanfiction is one I am very scared to post given that this is the first 'OC' fic I have done in about...3 to 4 years or so :) Nevertheless I hadn't had so much fun writing in a while, so.. (my inspiration to the character's fall came from what I did yesterday :D I tripped on the rails otl.)


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